1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a dog harness, and more particularly, to a dog harness formed from a single strap adapted to induce the dog to cease straining against a leash coupled to the harness.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are a variety of restraint devices for controlling dogs known in the art.
A hobble-type restraint harness is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,670,712 to Patience et al. The hobble-type harness includes a conventional collar and a shoulder strap having hoops at opposite ends that loosely fit over the forelegs of the dog. The hobble-type harness generally permits free movement of the animal. However, when the dog attempts to strain against the leash, a physical restraint on the forelegs is applied by upwardly drawn foreleg hoops. This expedient has disadvantages because the hobble-type harness provides a physical restraint on the forelegs. Thus, its effectiveness is dependent upon the strength of the dog and the master in control.
Everson U.S. Pat. No. 2,187,021 discloses a dog harness comprising a single strap which, when fitted on a dog, defines a neck encircling loop and a body encircling loop behind the front legs. The loops are joined at a common juncture point which overlies the dog's chest. A leash coupled to a buckle disposed at the top of the body loop as shown in FIG. 2, or to the neck loop as described in the specification. A rearward pull on the body loop causes a portion of the neck loop to tightly engage the dog's neck and pull it down. Conversely, if the leash is coupled to the neck loop, a rearward pull causes a portion of the body loop to engage the dog's back and chest.
Another harness design for inducing the dog to stop straining against the leash by applying concentrated pressure only to the sensitive foreleg pits is disclosed in Sporn U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,369. The Sporn '369 Patent discloses a dog harness having a pair of cables that extend through slip rings centrally located on a collar disposed around the neck of the dog in a region between the dog's shoulders, under the foreleg pits from behind the front legs, and forwardly to a second pair of rings disposed on the front of the collar. The cables are coupled to a standard dog leash. In this manner, when the dog strains against the leash, the tension between the leash and the dog causes the cables to apply direct pressure to the foreleg pits. This arrangement has a disadvantage in that excessive concentrated pressure on the foreleg pits can be painful for the animal.
Sporn U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,329,885, 5,359,964, 5,370,083, 5,471,953, 5,485,810, 5,611,298, 5,660,146, and 5,676,093, disclose strain-reducing dog harnesses which comprise pairs of loops that depend from a leash coupling junction at which the loops are joined. The loops are angled at the junction and cross over each other at a crossover site located on the chest of the dog when the harness is installed. The coupling junction overlies the dog's shoulder between the right and left forelegs, and the crossover site is disposed with respect to the dog's chest such that one loop runs through the crotch between the chest and the left foreleg and back to the junction, and the other loop runs through the crotch between the chest and right foreleg and back to the junction. When the dog strains against the leash, the harness loops then ride up into the sensitive foreleg pits and impose pressure which induces the dog to cease straining against a leash coupled to the harness. Like the harness disclosed in the Sporn '369 Patent, pressure is concentrated only on the foreleg pits.
Other harnesses which apply painful pressure to the foreleg pits of an animal are shown in McFarland U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,840 and Knauss U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,819.
Bandimere U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,627 discloses an animal harness configured as a block and tackle which causes a pulling force from the animal to exert a restraining force across the upper foreleg muscles. The harness includes a plurality of straps and slip rings to form movable slip loops which provide a mechanical advantage as the animal strains against a leash coupled to the harness. The straps are connected to a slotted plate which rests on the back of the animal rearwardly of its shoulders. The straps extend under the foreleg muscles, as opposed to the foreleg pits, and, in combination with the plate, provide a distributed pressure to restrain the animal without applying painful pressure to the sensitive foreleg pits. The Bandimere arrangement actually functions in a manner akin to a hobble-type harness, but where excessive pulling forces by the dog are resisted by the block and tackle mechanism to make it easier for a weaker person to control a large dog.
In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for an improved strain-reducing dog harness which provides a distributed pressure to induce the dog to stop straining against a leash coupled to the harness.